McLeansboro, IL Speech, 1896-09-14

Speech by William Jennings Bryan.

Speech by William Jennings Bryan
Monday, September 14, 1896 at 10:20am
Depot, McLeansboro, IL

Source: PASSING THROUGH ILLINOIS., Democratic Nominee Gets Ovations All Along the Line., Omaha World-Herald (Morning Edition), Tuesday, September 15, 1896

"Since 1873 the people have been trying to restore the law which existed before 1873. From the beginning of the government down to 1873 there was never a day when silver was discriminated against a standard.

A majority of the delegates in the Chicago convention went there instructed to declare for free coinage of silver at 16 to 1, and your delegates obeyed their instructions and wrote a platform that breathes the spirit of the Declaration of Independence, which is now offered to the toilers of this country. (Applause.) The men who have been trying to read out of the Democratic party those who stood by its ancient doctrines were the first to leave the Democratic party and find a congenial home somewhere else. We have no desire to drive Democrats out of the party unless they want to use it for the purpose unknown to the founders of the party. But when we had to choose between the company of those who had been advocating the dominion of syndicates and those who believed in the principles of our forefathers and the interests of the people we prefer to lose the company of some of our leaders and retain the confidence of the people." (Cheers.)